


Self-Expression

by fightforyourwrite



Category: Cinderella (1950)
Genre: Cameras, F/M, Photographs, Photography, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23923882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fightforyourwrite/pseuds/fightforyourwrite
Summary: In which Cinderella takes up a new hobby.
Relationships: Prince Charming/Cinderella (Disney)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Self-Expression

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like every Cinderella fic I make is gonna come with a note stating that the name I use for Cindy's Princey Boi is "Christopher."
> 
> It's wild to think that technology like photography and firearms existed within the time period that Cinderella takes place in, assuming the research I've done which points to the late 19th century is correct.

In the history of the kingdom’s royal family, Christopher and Cinderella are the first couple to have their portrait taken by photograph. 

Cinderella becomes enamoured with the contraption used to take the portrait. It resembles a rather large box with a pipe-like lens sticking out of one side. To get it to work, the skillful photographer first places a black blanket over the camera, dipping his head under it to look through the back of the device and focus the lens. When everything is set, he removes the blanket, then slides a glass plate into the back of the box. To take the actual photograph, all he does is remove the black lens cap for one second, then immediately put it back on. 

Cinderella really should be concerned with the gown and the jewelry that was meticulously selected for the shoot, Prudence would certainly want her to do so. Yet as her and Christopher pose, the only thing Cinderella can think about is the intricacies behind the box with the lens and the talented artist operating it. 

The photographer ends up taking several photographs of Cinderella and her husband. When the session is over, he shakes hands with the both of them and promises that they will get the final portraits soon. 

A few weeks pass and Cinderella gets a camera of her own. She does her research, tracks down where to get one, then sends a letter out to a merchant who can ship it to the palace. In the meantime, she reads up on the wet-collodion process, studying everything she can about how it works.

When Cinderella’s beloved camera arrives, Christopher helps her set things up. He’s very supportive towards her hobby, even clearing out a small, closet-sized room in the palace to become her darkroom. 

The camera arrives and it takes her a while to get used to things. Unlike posture or etiquette (which she has been extensively coached on), she’s entirely self-taught in this art. 

Cinderella uses plenty of plates for practice shots (not including the ones she accidentally dropped). Most of them end up unusable, whether it be because of lighting reasons or because she developed them wrong. Once she gets a hang of the process, Cinderella begins to take photographs to her heart’s desire. She takes shots of the palace gardens, the sunset from the balcony of her bedchambers, and even old Bruno in his aging state. 

Even Christopher becomes the subject of her photographic experiments and he goes along swimmingly. During one occasion, he happily poses in one of the palace living rooms, standing opposite a window to let the natural light illuminate him. 

It’s only after six months do her photographs start looking passable. She gets better at framing shots, understanding the “rule of thirds” that all other photographers talk about. To her, she starts seeing photography as the art of capturing a moment in time.

A shot of Bruno in the living room comes out looking unblurred, another of her father-in-law ends up working out when she gets the perfect image of the old man smiling, and even her numerous shots of Christopher turn out fine. 

Some of her photographs end up on the walls of the palace halls. They aren’t as attention grabbing as the proper royal portraits, but they have their own kind of charm.

One day, Christopher looks at some of his wife’s latest photographs. She brings her latest darkroom project to his study to give him a convenient distraction from his very royal tasks of going over some very royal forms. 

Christopher holds the glass plate gently, taking in the imprinted image as if it were a painting on the ceiling of a church. It seems that Cinderella has positioned her beloved box camera in front of a mirror and has taken a photo of her reflection. It’s quite a peculiar little image, whether it be because of her use of the lighting, the blur near one of her hands indicating her removal of the camera lens, or her gleeful smile now immortalized in a photograph.

“Is there a word for taking a photo of yourself?” an amused Christopher asks. The two lounge on a couch, which he likes to refer to as his  _ ‘royal napping spot.’ _

“Some would call it a self-portrait,” Cinderella replies. “But I like to call it  _ ‘self-expression.’ _ ”

Christopher lets out an amused chuckle and beams at his wife. “Self-Expression by Princess Cinderella… I’d buy it.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally gonna make it so painting was Cinderella's new hobby, but then I remembered that's Rapunzel's thing.


End file.
